On December 18, the New York Times published an op ed by former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates that talked about foreign policy challenges for the incoming Biden administration. Secretary Gates supported the sanctions that were imposed on Turkey for purchasing defensive weaponry from Russia.
Secretary Gates made an indirect reference to Greece and Cyprus. There is a link in the op-ed regarding the “eastern mediterranean” that takes readers to an article on Turkish aggression against Greece and Cyprus. Overall, the analysis by Gates is not bad.
But something more is needed regarding Turkish aggression against Greece and Turkey. The United States needs to be pressed by Athens to impose direct sanctions on Turkey specifically for its aggressive designs on Greek and Cypriot territorial rights. Furthermore, the United States needs to step up on behalf of the Armenians.
Turkey supports the genocidal regime of Azerbaijan which started a war with the peaceful Armenian community of Artsakh. Artsakh is part of the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh which has an overwhelming Armenian majority. Turkey supports Azerbaijan which claims it as part of its own territory. Historically, Nagorno-Karabakh has been Armenian and was part of Armenia until the communists in the former Soviet Union stupidly gave the territory to Azerbaijan.
The Armenians fought a war this year for their survival against the lunatic government of Baku which threatened to attack nuclear reactors in Armenia. The United States needs to step up to impose sanctions on Turkey for its acts of aggression against Greece, Cyprus, and Armenia. Azerbaijan should also be subject to serious punishment as should Israel which has inexplicably been supporting Azerbaijan.
There was a time when sanctions of any kind and for any reason against Turkey would have been unheard of. Sanctions against Turkey for the Russian purchases are good (as a beginning) but not good enough. Further sanctions must be imposed with direct linkage to Turkey’s aggressive and genocidal ambitions against Greece, Armenia, and Cyprus.
3 replies on “New York Times Op Ed”
Great Op Ed, Ted. Greece certainly can’t count on western Europe for much more than Common Market principles, which of course do benefit the Greek economy and shouldn’t be discounted. But that’s where it ends, because the Germans-who wield tremendous clout in EU foreign policy strategy-are never going to do anything to offend Ankara. Part of it is fear of the Turks allowing another wave of third world refugees and part of it is the historic arrogance of the Germans to dictate-down to the smaller nations in the bloc simply because they can. Berlin talks about the common border of the EU east of Bulgaria and Greece, but they don’t really believe it. Their interests end at the German southern border, or not much beyond it. Frankly, Angela Merkel lacks the moral stature, ethics and common sense to dictate EU foreign policy. And Macron is too weak to stand up to her. This is a dangerous time for small nations on the SE border of the EU, like Greece or Cyprus.
Thanks.
Greece has been doing a good job under Mitsotakis so far. But Athens has to understood not to put all its hopes on Europe and NATO. They need to keep the Russian option open. All options must be on the table.
Here is an excellent article on the last Greeks of Constantinople.
https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2020/12/27/last-byzantine-greeks-facing-extinction-in-islamist-led-turkey/